Meat and food grinder



E. W. KNOWLTON MEAT AND FooD GRINDER Sept. 11; 1928.

Filed May '7, 1925 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE W. KNOWLTON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T JOHN E. SMITHS SONS CO., OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MEAT AND FOOD GRINDER Application led May 7, 1925. Serial No. 28,603.

'1`his invention relates to improvements in meat and food grinders of the screw type.

011e of its objects is to provide an eflicient and sanitary grinder of this character in which the screw isso mounted that the same is self-centering and prevented from sagging and rubbing on the bottom of the grinder-casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide the grinder with means for intercept-- ing the flow of oil from the bearings into the grinder-easing and for preventing the escape of the meat-juices from the latter into the bearings. Y l

A further object is to provide the grinder with means for readily removing the meat or other food from the loading fork into the hopperV without the hands touching it.

Still further objects ofthe invention have to do with the construction and arrangement of its parts7 as will be hereinafter more fully described and appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view of a meat grinder embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is al vertical longitudinal section thereof on line 2--2, Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view of the grinder. Fig- '30 ure 4 is .a transverse section on linev 4 4,

Fig. 2. ,Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the feed screw. Figure 6 is a front end viewthereof. l

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.-

As is customary, the meat grinder is to extend for constantly keeping the bear.

ings lubricated. A suitable packinol 15 inserted in the rear end of the standard around particularly pointed out in the.A

the shaft 12 prevents leakage of oil past the same, and a similar packing 16 is arranged in the opposite end thereof.

Secured to the frontend of the Standard '10 by bolts 17 is the grinder-casing 18 having a hopper 19 extending from its upper side and the customary perforated disk or plate 20in5its front end through which the meat is discharged. The inlet or feed end of this hopper is preferably square-shaped 1n plan and hinged at 21 to the rear wall thereof is a square frame 22 which normally rests on the flanged upper end'of the hopper, as shown in Fig. 2 and which has an opening 23 therein. Upon one or more sides of this hinged frame are arranged a plurality of up right pins -or prongs 24 which serve to facilitate the removal of the meat or other food from the loading fork into the hopper without the hands touching the Same, thereby yrendering thev loading operation of the grinder strictly sanitary.

The numeral 25 indicates the feed screw which is arranged lengthwise in the grindercasing 18 in axial alinement with the driving shaft 12 and separably connected thereto to turn therewith. For this purpose, the screw has a square rear end 26 which engages a correspondingly-shaped socket -27 formed in the opposing end of said driving shaft. Projecting axially from the front end of the feed screw and extending through the perforated -plate 20 is a stud or spindle 28 which serves as a journal for said screw and also as a support for the knife 29. As shown in Fig. 2, this spindle is preferably provided at its inner end with an acme or square thread 3() which engages a eorrespondinglythreaded opening 31 in the end of the screw, and intermediate its ends said spindle has an annular flange 32 which is seated in a counter-bore 33 formed in the screw. In front of its fiange, the spindlel has a square portion 34 upon which the knife-29 is mounted to turn with the feed screw, said knife beingA confined squarely between the spindle-flange' and the perforated plate. A bushing 35 for the front end of the spindle is itted intol the plate 20, this bushing'having a knurled .i

ter extending somewhat beyond the end of the grinder casing for thisurpose, as shown in Flg. 2. Thus, when t e retaining ring 1s screwed into place, the feed screw 1s properly centered and maintained in such position,

thereby preventing sagging of the screw and its becoming disalined from the driving shaft 12. In its periphery, the perforated plate has a lurality of equi-distant radial notches 41 which engage one or more pins 42 projectforwardly from the grinder-casing. This ws the plate to be applied in a number of different positions, permitting its bearing face to be distributed along its entire circumference and prolonging the life of the plate accordingly.

The foremost turn or thread of the feed screw terminates in a -vfiat upright portion 43 which is arranged at right angles to the axis of the screw, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This construction has a tendency to foreathe meat or food tightly against the cutting surface of the plate 20 and resists its backward movement over the screw. It will be noted that said fiat lportion 43 is comparatively narrow to prevent the screw from pasting the substance against the plate and to eliminate the mashing of the same into juice.

Interposed between the rear end of the grinder-casing 18 and its supporting standard 10 is a spacer plate or rlng 44 which is held in place by bolts 17.l This plate fits over the socketed front end of the driving shaft 12 and has an annular flange 45 on its rear side forming a stuffing box gland for the'packing 16, and an annular'lip or tongue 46 on its front side which engages a corresponding groove 47 in the opposing end of the casing, as shown in Fig. 2. Immediately surrounding its opening 48, the spacer plate is provided with a recess or depression 49 whichv `forms a pocket or reservoir-50, between the contiguous faces of the casing and said plate,

.for intercepting thepassage of the meat juices into the bearings and likewise the seeping of oil into the casing. Extending downwardly from the plate-recess 49 are drain passages 51 which permit the contents of the pocket 50 to l discharge therethrough on to the floor or into a. suitable receptacle providedfo'r this' purmeat pose. By this provision, any tendency of the juices-to leak into the bearings is effectually prevented and danger of the oil gaining access to the grinder-easing and contaminating the meat therein is likewise avoided. The pocket-plate 10, being separate from the standard and the grinder casing, can be readily removed to clean it and keep it sanitary. y y

Vhile manifestly simple, compact and durable in construction, this improved grinder is elicient in operation and its novel features of construction ailn toward perfect sanitation. Furthermore, the machine can be readily Idsmelnbered for cleaning by simply removiner the retaining ring 37, grasping the hand grip 36'of the bushing 35 and then unserewing tle spindle 28 from the feed screw, the perforated plate and knife 29 being removed as a unit with the spindle.

I claim as my invention:

1. A meat grindingl machine, comprising aA grinder-casing including a hopper, and prongs applied to the top of said hopper for facilitating the removal of the meat from the loading fork.

2. A meat grinding machine, comprising a grinder-casing including a hopper, an open frame hinged to the top of said hopper, and prongs rising from said frame for facilitatifnglthe removal ofthe meat from the loading or r.

3. A meat grinding machine, comprising a grinder-easing. a perforated plate in the front end of said casing, a feedscrew operating in the casing and supported at its front end on said plate, and a member applied to said casing and engaging said plate for centering the screw in its casino.

4. A meat grinding maeiine, comprising a grinder-casing, a perforated plate in the front end of said casing, a feed-screw operating in the easing and supported at its front end on said plate, and a rotatable member adjustably mounted on the front end of saidl easing and having a supporting flangeyfor receiving and sustaining said plate.

5. A meat grinding machine, comprising a grinder-casing, a perforated plate in the front end of said easing having a beveled front edge, a feed-screw operating in the casing and supported at its rear end in the flatter and at its front end on said plate, and

a retaining ring applied to the frontend of' ing in its front end, a-spindle having aA threaded rear portion engaging said screwopening and having its frontv portion extended through a central opening of said plate,a knife mounted on said spindle on the inner side of said plate, and a spindle bushtached. to the frame and containing a screw, sage.

ing separate from said plate fixed in its openfor the screw journaled -in said bearing, and 10 ingnd having a hand grip for turning the a removable spacer-plate interposed between spmdle to remove the plate and the knife as the rear end of the grindercsing and said a lmit. shaft-bearing and having a pocket 'for inter- 7. A meat grinding machine, comprising cepting and receiving meat juices and bearing a supporting frame, a grinder-casing fltlubricant, said pocket having a drain pas- 15 a bearing in the frame .adjacent to the rear end of the grinder-Casing, a driving shaft EUGENE W. KNOWLTON. 

